Sick
by HumbleGoddess
Summary: She knew he was sick. Alcoholic, drug addict, you name it. He was in the Devil’s book. But she was his angel. SK.
1. The Angel and the Devil

Title: **Blessings in Disguise** or **Sick** or **Save Me**

_Summary: She knew he was sick. Alcoholic, drug addict, you name it. He was in the Devil's book. But she was his angel. S/K._

Chapter 1: The Angel and the Devil

"I'm going on dinner break," Kagome yelled to her boss in the lobby. "Come back quick, lots of customers tonight!!" Sango yelled over the racket of 50 edgy customers. Kagome walked out the door, turned left, and started down the street. She hadn't gone two meters when she heard a moan. It was male, she could tell by the baritone rumble of the voice. But it sounded barely human, in incredible pain. She ran into the alley and looked right and left. _'Oh my god, someone here must be really hurt.'_ Then she found him. Crumpled on top of a bag of garbage, he was tall and lean and wearing a torn up, muddied dress shirt and pants. He had extremely long hair that trailed over his shoulders, down his back, and to his ankles, where it swayed softly, white and glistening. For a fleeting moment Kagome thought he might be old, but the thought left as fast as it came. His well-muscled, six-pack chest heaved with the effort of breathing, his labored pants raking through his lungs like gravel. The only wound he had was a hit to the stomach, but _only_ isn't the appropriate word. It was bleeding openly, blood gushing like molten lava into the gutters and between the cobblestones. Kagome knelt by his side and shuffled through her purse for a handkerchief. She pulled it out with a small "Ah hah!" of triumph, and wet it with her water bottle. She dabbed at his wound, trying not to watch as he grit his teeth in pain. When she touched a certain spot, he screamed with pain. Then she felt it. A sharp tip, tearing through his flesh. She cleaned it and saw its evil metallic sheen reflect the light of the streetlamps. A bullet was stuck in this man's stomach.

She carried him to her apartment, half-dragging his body up the stair and through the door. He left blood marks all down the hallway._ 'Mental note: clean that up or neighbors will wonder whom it was I killed.' _She had no idea where to put him. This produced an issue, because he was leaving red puddles on her carpet. She dragged him into the bathroom and put him in the tub. She grabbed a towel, wet it in the sink, and started dabbing at the edges of the wound. Once he had relaxed a little, she got closer and closer to the main wound. _'One, two, three…'_ She touched the bullet hole. He bolted up in the tub, screamed, and then fainted dead away. The pain had been too much for his mind to handle.

She spent the night cleaned up his wound. An hour after she had begun, she pulled out the bullet. She put it in one of the Bio Hazard bags of her First Aid Kit and dropped it on the counter. She stayed by him the whole night, tears sliding down her cheeks. How he must have suffered, all alone, with no one to help him, in a dark alley for ages. She lightly kissed his forehead, leaning on the rim of the bathtub and closing her eyes.


	2. Where'd He Go?

Chapter 2: Where'd He Go?

A/N: OH SHIT!! I DIDN'T PUT A DISCLAIMER ON THE LAST CHAPTER!! FORGIVE ME, PEOPLES!! PLEEZ DON'T REPORT ME:sobs:police head in my direction, I bolt: KKYAAAAAA!!

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha… or do I? MUAHAHA!! Okay not really. Peace out.

Chapter 2: Where'd He Go?

_Riiiinnng. Riiiinnnngg. Riiiinnnngg._ Kagome sleepily rose her arm and smacked it in the direction of her alarm clock. Her arm hit something cold and hard. "Ow!" She muttered, lifting her head. The alarm clock was ringing in her bedroom, and she was in the bathroom. Kagome laughed at her reflection in the mirror- her face was flat as a pug's from lying on the bathtub, and her hair was a knotty mess. She suddenly remembered her acquaintance from last night. She turned to the tub. "Where'd he go?" She said confusedly. "Uh-oh. The old lady next door will have **another **heart attack if she sees a guy walking around with a bullet hole in his stomach."

Dashing to the door, Kagome raced into the hallway. Like a path of breadcrumbs, blood left clear marks as to where he had gone. Going down the stairs two at a time, Kagome stumbled to a halt. She had nearly tripped over a huge something in the middle of the lobby. Peering down, she gasped. It was him. He was in even worse shape than last night- he must have fainted from exhaustion and pain.

Again, Kagome dragged him up the stairs. "Wow, serious déjà vu going on here," she huffed.

At last, she arrived at her apartment. She accidentally bumped his head on the door, and for a second he seemed to wake up. Glazed amber eyes stared up at her. Kagome panicked- he didn't look human, and she'd never handled a demon before. So she hit his head on the side of the door again. That did it- he conked out faster than a cheetah on wheels. "Oh, nice going Kags. Now he'll have brain damage, **and** a bullet hole!" She pulled him onto her bed, taking the sheets and wrapping them around his wound in a kind of makeshift tourniquet. Only after she did so did she notice they were the sheets her mother had given her as a present. "Those were my best sheets, moron!" She whined.

_He had dreamt of an angel. Her raven-black hair had swum around her angled, perfect face. Her cerulean eyes contrasted with the porcelain white of her skin. She was the entity of perfection, the beacon of light in his inner darkness. He knew he had been shot-he had heard the BOOM as it flew out of the handgun and into his chest. He didn't have time to even react before his attacker was one and the darkness crept upon him. He did not know what was going on, felt nothing but his pain. But her face kept him smiling, kept his mind from surrendering to destruction. She kept him alive, real or not._


	3. THe Hospital

Chapter 3: The Hospital

**A/N: I love this story, so I'll keep writing if you keep reviewing!!**

Kagome opened her eyes. With difficulty, she lifted her head from her arms. It felt like a dead weight was on her. _Wait a little minute here…._ There was a dead weight on her. An arm. She trailed her eyes up the muscular arm to the beautiful, stiff torso. Dude, it was DEFINITELY a dude. Even with the hole in his middle, he was gorgeous. She pulled his hair out of his eyes, cooling his face with her palms.

His eyes slid open, squinting in the sunlight. He saw weird, horrible colors. Either a baby had puked over his eyes, or this was a hospital room. The sick, green-blue color of partially-digested Gerber's Ultra Formula made him want to puke. But a cool hand was caressing him… he pulled it closer with the small amount of strength left in him. "It" gasped, and the hand started to dart away in panic. He grabbed it in midair, placing it on his chest. The cool, soft feeling of her skin focused his vision, bit by bit.

When he could finally see, he turned over and gagged over the side of the hospital bed. Red-yellow liquid came flying out, making the baby-puke color of the room even worse. From his history in fatal injuries, he knew he was coughing up the extra blood and plasma from the separation of the suspension in his blood.

Kagome leaned over him, caressing his face and chest. "You're beautiful," he murmured. Her eyes widened in shock- he shouldn't be able to talk yet, he was still healing!! Her eyes shot instinctively to the bullet hole, and her eyes widened more. It was gone. The blood staining his clothes was melting off, like wax on a candle. He smiled, but it turned into a grimace. "Sesshoumaru," he said. "Kagome," Kagome muttered. He grasped her hand in his on and slowly brought it to his lips. He lightly kissed her knuckles. The rosy blush that rose from her face pleased him- she thought he was hot.

Something was different about this one- he felt no ill feeling when he touched her, no guilt at her attraction to him. For once, he didn't have that feeling that he always got with women- that meeting him ended their good lives and dragged them unwillingly into something evil. Him.

She felt so right in his arms… the way he looked at her, the way he smiled, even for a brief second, made her feel a fleeting, perfect joy. It was that kind of happiness that only comes from a few precious things in life, those things that make your heart feel at its fullest whenever you even think about them. Those things you are- or are destined to-love. It hit them like a plastic toddlers' train on High Power, whamming into their midsections with extreme force. They leaned towards each other, and their cheeks met in a intimate search for acceptance. Their lips turned inwards, and they met with a static shock that paralyzed them together.

They knew they were meant to be.

Sesshoumaru pressed himself against her, feeling himself heal with the power radiating off of her. Usually, he just used girls like this to heal himself. But this time, he wanted to be closer to her. He felt a burn in his gut that was screaming, _Closer! Closer! _His tongue sought entrance, and received. But the second Kagome let him in, she jumped up from her seat and bolted for the trash can. She gagged into the can, heaving with the racking of her lungs for fresh air. She couldn't help it- he tasted of blood, and she hated blood. When she turned back, her eyes were watering with sorrow. "I'm so sorry," she said. "It's just… the blood…. I don't…" "I don't need your pity," Sesshoumaru said, gritting his teeth. "But… I don't-" "I DON'T NEED YOUR PITY!!" Sesshoumaru roared. Again, he leaned over the side of the bed and gagged. "GET OUT!!" Kagome ran, down the hall and into the main office. "Please, get someone to room 13! He needs help!"

Sesshoumaru felt himself sink into self-pity, but he couldn't help himself. He was the Devil's incarnate to these young girls- the young girls who met him, fell in love with his charm, and thought they could handle his evil. In the end, they all died or left him, forever tortured by the things they had seen. They were all dragged into something that was far out of their league- far too horrible for their innocent, romantic minds. He didn't want their pity, their sorrow. It did no good, and in the end, it destroyed them.

**A/N: Yeah, short and weird. But I'm trying!! I will be updating really soon… so don't abandon me!! PLEASE!!!!**


	4. VERY IMPORTANT!

Hey Guys!! Sorry… this isn't an update. I know you're not REALLY supposed to do this, but I would like it very much if you guys wouldn't get me in trouble. Ehehe… thanks.

Well, I am starting a Playbill collection. To keep it going, I would thoroughly enjoy it if you guys let me know if you have any Playbills you don't want, or a collection you're trying to get rid of. Tell anyone you know…

Also, if you would like to sell me your Playbill(s), send a review to this page that just says:

**Playbill: (play name)**

**Cost: Negotiable/Not Negotiable, $ (price)**

I will reply ASAP, and I will figure out with you how we will do business. Thanks again!! -Goddess


	5. Finding Love and Memories

Kagome walked meekly into the brightly lit hospital room. Seeing that Sesshoumaru was asleep, she slipped into the plastic seat by his bedside. Putting down her purse, she pulled out her cell phone.

_I want to remember you forever._

Aiming at him, she snapped a photo. Just as she took the picture, his eyes shot open, revealing their molten gold interiors.

"You're up," Kagome said. "It's good to see you looking so healthy."

"Well, hospitals do that to you." He said. "You want to get out of them so much that you 'miraculously' heal." Kagome giggled, and he gave a weak grin.

"Um, I was wondering… if you… and I….." "Would you like to go out to dinner with me tomorrow night?" "Um, yeah," Kagome muttered sheepishly. "I hope you're driving," Sesshoumaru muttered, grinning, "'Cause they won't let me out without a chaperone."

Sesshoumaru felt light as air. She wanted to hang out with him. He'd dated many women before, but this felt totally different. She almost felt like the one.

Sesshoumaru frowned. _There is no one for me_, he said to himself. _Any girl with me ends up dead or screwed up._

**His last girlfriend, Kagura, had died, brutally murdered by a guy trying to get back at Sesshoumaru. Her screams still haunted his dreams, where he'd be running, running to save her, and he'd arrive just two seconds too late. She was always there, dead, lying in a dark puddle of her own blood.**

But this time had been different. When Kagura's face came into view, it changed, morphed, red eyes going cerulean, black hair lightening slightly, growing longer. And suddenly, it was Kagome, lying in front of him, smiling.

_Yes, _Sesshoumaru thought. _ I won't let it happen again. She must be the one. She must be._

The dinner was wonderful. Kagome and Sesshoumaru sat in the restaurant, laughing and joking, chatting and discussing. They had found amazing intellectual partners in one another- for once in a long, long time, each felt they had met an equal.

When the dessert came, Sesshoumaru paid for the most expensive one- a golden leaf cake in the shape of a heart. On his special order, certain 'touches' were added on.

Kagome bit into the cake, and something hard hit her tooth. "Ow!" she muttered, carefully extracting the object from her mouth. Sesshoumaru grinned- this was gonna be good. Kagome gasped. A ring had been hidden in the cake. The jewel on top was a beautiful blue gemstone, and it shimmered in the low evening light.

"Scratch it against the glass," Sesshoumaru ordered. Raising a curious eyebrow, Kagome scratched what she thought was a sapphire against her wine glass. Kagome's eyes began to tear.

This is a diamond, isn't it?" She asked.

"Nothing less," Sesshoumaru whispered. "Because you're worth the best."

_Worth someone better than me._

"Thank you," she cried, leaning forward. She hugged him tightly, slipping the ring onto her finger. It shone in the lamplight, bringing out her blue eyes.

Kagome drove them back to the hospital, walking Sesshoumaru to his room.

"I had a great time," she said.

"It was a pleasure," Sesshoumaru muttered, blushing.

Sesshoumaru lay back down in the narrow bed, sliding the covers over his slight, muscled arms.

Kagome's gaze wandered—and not to a good place. _Wow… he is HOT!! _She squealed mentally. _Whoa…. BAD Kagome!! BAD!!_

While she was mentally slapping herself, Sesshoumaru looked at her. She truly was beautiful. He couldn't help himself… he leaned towards her, and he saw her eyes flick to him in surprise before he dove in.

They kissed gently, cautiously, but passionately. Kagome melted onto him like an ice cube in the sun, filled with newfound warmth.

Sesshoumaru's eyes shot open- this had never happened before. He smiled into her mouth- she felt so right leaning against him, their bodies matching like two pieces of a puzzle.

Then the nurse walked in. She gasped, and Kagome and Sesshoumaru jumped apart like two frightened cats. The nurse fled from the room, yelling about overactive patients.

Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru. For a minute, neither did anything.

Then…

They both laughed. Foreheads touching, Sesshoumaru's breath hot in Kagome's ear, they picked up where they had left off.

The next month was the best month of both of their lives. They spent almost every waking hour together, Kagome coming to see him in the wee hours of the morning and not leaving until the wee hours of the night.

It was bliss… until Sesshoumaru got better.

"I don't have to stay here anymore," he said to Kagome one day. "What?" She asked, bewildered. She leaned closer. "Where do you have to go?" I have to go home," he muttered. "And you can't come with me."

"Why?" "It's too dangerous." "Oh, so I can't take that kind of parental pressure? Oh, please. I survived a stepdad, I can survive your parents." "It's not like that." "Listen, I'm going to meet your parents. Like it or not, kapeish?"

"I don't want you to get hurt."

"Well, I promise you I won't, okay?" "Only, if you never leave my side." "I promise." She leaned over to him, brushed her lips against his cheek lightly. A memory flashed through his mind.

**He and Kagura were sitting on a bench in the park, huddled together underneath a black umbrella to avoid the rain. He whispered something in her ear, and she laughed. "I'm going to get a churro," she said lightly, coming out from the protection of the umbrella. "Be right back." Promise?" He joked. "Promise," she said, giggling. She leaned to him and her lips brushed his cheek lightly. Then she ran off in the direction of the churro cart.**

**She raced to the cart, but just as she approached it, it moved off in the opposite direction.**

"**Wait!! Hold on!!" She said, racing after it. Then the cart parked at the entrance to an alley. Stomping the slush from her shoes, she held out her wallet, counting out five dollars to give to the cartman.**

"**Here you go," she said. "One churro, please."**

**The man turned. His red eyes gleamed maliciously in the dark of the alley, sending shivers up Kagura's spine. "Um, you know what, forget it," she muttered hastily. She turned to leave, following her gut instinct to run from the man.**

"**Oh, Sesshoumaru will be so upset when he hears the sad news," the man hissed in a cruelly consoling tone. "What sad news?" Kagura said quickly, turning back in alarm. "The news of your death." The man said, pulling a gun from his shabby coat. Kagura screamed, and Naraku smiled.**

WOOT!! Four pages peeps!! I'm SOOOO sorry I haven't updated in years, but school has been overwhelming. I have been SO busy that I have bags under my eyes from lack of sleep. And they're grey, so I look ridiculously old. Yay bags.

Well, I hope to be updating soon. If I don't get 25 reviews for this or another story soon, I will delete a story (or more than one). Not an empty threat, people. Just write something more than "update soon," and you'll have many more chapters of enjoyment coming. Otherwise, you suck. Review or be Square. Peace Out.

Hanikamiya- I KNOW YOU'RE READING THIS!! YOU HAVEN'T E-MAILED ME IN…. :counts days: FOREVER!! Grrrrrr….ROAR!!


	6. Deja Vu But Deadly

**A/N: Hey guys!! Sorry I haven't been writing in soooo long!! But I got over 20 reviews!! HUZZAH:does Snoopy dance: Well, thanks for the support and keep reviewing!!**

It was a beautiful day out- the sky blue as blue could be, the grass wet with the dew of the morning. Sesshoumaru and Kagome were strolling through the park, hand in hand, whispering soft words to one another. Suddenly Kagome said, "I want to meet your family." "What?" "Your family, bozo. I want to meet them." "I really don't think you do." "This I doubt. We will go today." "Right now?" Sesshoumaru's voice was almost a whine at this point. Kagome laughed. "Can they be that bad?" "They ARE that bad, trust me." "Well, regardless of their bad-ness, I am going to meet them today. Off we go."

_Kagome definitely isn't a shy one_, Sesshoumaru decided. _She won't take no for an answer, will she? _"Hurry up, slowpoke, or we'll never get there!!" "Kagome-" "No excuses!!" "You're going the wrong way." "Oh. :pause: Right." She swiveled on her heel and marched off in the opposite direction. Shaking his head in amusement, Sesshoumaru followed.

Sesshoumaru caught up to Kagome quickly (A/N: no surprise there... snigger) and led her down a series of dark alleyways and side roads. At one point, Sesshoumaru covered her eyes, leading her on with the sound of his voice. Some things here, he explained, she didn't need to see.

Kagome heard Sesshoumaru knock on what sounded like a thick wooden door. He said something in a muffled voice, and the door was opened. She was gently nudged through the door, and with a light 'meep', her blindfold was taken off.

She found herself in a well-furnished room, which, by the looks of it, was an abandoned bar.

.Obviously, whom ever 'lived' here was well-off indeed. Then her eyes lit upon a group of people entering through a back door. Eyes widening, Kagome gasped.

A man who looked to be in his forties was sitting on a barstool, sipping a cold beer. He was like a mirror image of Sesshoumaru, except he was taller by a fraction of an inch and his hair was cut differently. His tattoos were different, too- he had only one lightening-bolt like stripe on each cheek. His ragged attire left almost nothing to the imagination- the shirt was nearly ripped apart, showing a well-sculpted chest, and the pants were cut short, showing powerful, strong legs. He looked like an intelligent man, though- the gleam in his eye said something was clicking in the back of his mind. He was relaxed in a tense sort of way.

The woman leaning against him was tall, but not as tall as Sesshoumaru. She wore a calf-length pair of khaki shorts, torn and mended many-a-time, by the look of wear. But her face and hair were bright with cleanliness, and her shirt was deep red, showing off a wonderfully full chest and lean runner's arms. The red in the shirt mimicked the red in the shirt of the boy standing next to her.

He wore a pair of torn-up jeans, chains hanging from the pockets. Scrutinizing them, Kagome realized, with an eerie chill, that the chains had red stains all over them. It looked like dried blood. All three had golden eyes.

"Hello," the woman said kindly, walking forward. The man began to stop her, but she threw a glance over her shoulder to silence him. "My name is Aimi. I'm Sesshoumaru's mother." "Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you," Kagome said, still in awe. Sighing, the man got up and walked forward. "Inutaisho. Sesshoumaru's father." "A man of few words," Kagome said, grinning. He smiled gently in return, but it was a guarded look.

"Who the hell are you?" Came from behind the pair. "Inuyasha!" Aimi hissed, sending him a look. Kagome laughed, attempting to lighten up the mood. "My mother used to give me that look when I said my uncle's beard looked like a bird's nest." The guy- apparently Inuyasha- laughed, grinning. He sauntered forward, grasped Kagome's hand, and kissed her knuckles. "A pleasure." Blushing, Kagome smiled. Sesshoumaru growled lowly, and Kagome leaned into him, unconsciously attempting to calm him with her presence.

Sesshoumaru relaxed, but bared his teeth at his brother over the top of Kagome's head. His look clearly stated, _She's mine._ "Would you like a drink?" Inutaisho asked, gesturing to the bar. Behind it, Kagome saw row upon row of every type of beer and wine imaginable. "He mixes up a wicked cocktail," Aimi said, smiling. "I'd love to," Kagome said.

They had dinner there, talking and laughing uproariously. For a stiff, Inutaisho coul tell a wicked joke. And Aimi was pleasant company, her comments adding to the conversation. Inuyasha's façade of toughness fell away sometime after the main meal, completely fading as the dessert came into view. Imagine a starving wild hog, stuck in the middle of the desert, which sees a piece of innocent meat. Now imagine that, twenty times worse. Sesshoumaru was nudged into telling exactly how they met, and what he didn't know, Kagome filled in. Inutaisho's cocktail was indeed 'wicked'- Kagome was swaying after one sip. Swooning, she leaned into Sesshoumaru's sculpted chest, clearing her watery eyes. "What's in that thing?" She said, her words slurring. "Ah, that's a family secret," Inutaisho said, smirking. "You just had my LIGHT beer."

At the end of the night, they were all nearly drunk and in a very good mood. Suddenly serious,Sesshoumaru stood and raised his glass. Glancing at Kagome, Sesshoumaru cleared his throat and downed his glass. _For courage, _he said to himself. "Kagome and I have a very important announcement to make."

"Kagome is my intended."

Cricket. Cricket. All laughter had stopped in the room, and all eyes were on the pair. Kagome stood and unconsciously wrapped her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist, offering her support, as limp as a noodle in her current state. But upon hearing his words, she attempted to straighten, but fell limply back into him, huffing with the effort.

Looking down at the shining crown of her head, feeling the pulse of her heart next to his, he felt a bit stronger. More loudly, he said, "We intend to wed this spring." Suddenly, the table came to life. Inuyasha leapt from his seat and started to shout with happiness, screaming, "Yes!!! It's finally happened!! And just when I was starting to think he was gay!!" Inutaisho was overjoyed- he stood and shook his son's hand, smiling warmly. Aimi sat in her seat, tears of joy sparkling in her bright golden eyes. "We couldn't be more happy for you."

When it was time to leave, Kagome and Sesshoumaru grabbed their coats out of the closet and quit the room, going out into the winter cold. The sky was bleary, threatening rain. Huddled against each other for warmth, they scuttled towards the park, Sesshoumaru half carrying Kagome. "Note to self- never have Inutaisho's cocktail again." Sesshoumaru laughed. It had gone amazingly well; for once, his dread at seeing his family had been unnecessary.

They plopped down on the park bench, letting the cool breeze chill their muddled senses. "I'm going to get a pretzel," Kagome said, kissing his cheek. "I'll be right back." Kagome ran off towards the cart, chasing it around the corner. Then, she disappeared from his view.

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru's eyes widened. He'd just had a premonition- this had happened before. Getting up, he ran after her. He dreaded what he knew would happen. "KAGOME!! STOP!!!!"

Kagome fished seven dollars out of her jeans pocket, holding them out to the cartman. "Jeez, has the price of a pretzel gone up or what?" He turned, red eyes gleaming. "I'm so sorry," he said, his voice cold. "We've run out of pretzels." A gun suddenly flew out of the pocket of his rag coat, shining evilly in the dark of the alley. A shot rang out through the park.

Sesshoumaru ran. He ran faster than he ever had before, zipping down the road. He saw a dark figure slink down the street in the opposite direction, but his mind was too occupied to notice. When he finally skidded into the alley, a rush of nostalgia hit him. He fell down beside Kagome, her eyes shut in agony. Her face was frozen, in death, with a look of pain that shattered his heart. It was a look of disbelief, of fear, of surprise. Like she hadn't thought anyone could be so evil.

Turning from her body, Sesshoumaru put his head in his hands. His knees buckled underneath him, and he crashed onto the cold cement, tears flowing freely from his eyes. He hadn't cried since Kagura's death- hadn't let himself get that close to anyone before. Then, in his one moment of weakness, of stupidity, the one thing he needed most in the world had been snatched from his arms, destroyed… killed.

Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened. He was dangerous. He had too many enemies. He would never let himself be that close to another person again. Regardless of how much he needed or felt for someone, he would only bring their untimely demise. He saw it again- the dream, where the harsh slap of his feet on the wet pavement would bring him into the dark alley, the walls closing in on him as he looked down at the one he loved, dying. Her eyes looked at him for only a moment, not even enough time to tell her expression, and then her raspy breath stopped. Her eyes glazed over and rolled back into her head, neck at a disturbing angle, which showed she was not alive. His nightmare had come true.

Turning to her, he felt the tears return. How had he been so stupid as to let himself fall in love with her? How- wait a second. Sesshoumaru acknowledged something, something he smiled at despite his sorrow. _He was in love with her_.

Leaning down to kiss her cheek, Sesshoumaru whispered chokingly, "I love you. I love you, Kagome Higurashi."

Then, he felt a twitch. Looking at her in astonishment, his mouth fell open. Her eyes were open just a crack, her blue orbs alert and focusing on his face. "I love you too," she croaked hoarsely, then fell limp in his arms. Feeling for a pulse, he grabbed her arm. Tears of gratitude coursed down his cheeks, dampening Kagome's shirt front. "Thank you, God. Thank you."

A/N: Hey guys!! I have a cliffy… :does jig: I'll leave you hanging just a little longer!!!! Till next time. And here's the disclaimer: Me no own-eth. Thou doth no report/sue. 'Kay? We hath reached-eth an agreement-eth. Huzzah!!


	7. Clean Cut

Hi guys!! I was just scanning the WWW when I came across a site that had an amazing picture that totally matched my story perfectly. It's the one called "Brothers". I couldn't believe how perfectly it fit, so I'll paste the URL here: http://elfwood.lysator.liu.se/fanq/g/i/giovannabcg1/giovannabcg1.html

I will include this in my disclaimer.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or any related items. I also don't own Giovanna Guimaraes' artwork, though I sincerely wish I could draw like that. So please don't sue/report me. Merci beaucoup, mes amis!!

Back to the actual point of this useless drabble.

**Ch. 7: Clean Cut**

When Kagome woke in the hospital, her eyes blurred and she struggled to focus on the things around her. Her stunned irises stumbled upon a silver lump, sitting, apparently, on a green lump. And everything else was a blur of baby-puke green.

Seeing Kagome was waking up, Sesshoumaru straightened. As her eyes focused on his face, he leaned down and kissed the top of her head. Kagome could tell he had been crying- a loose tear here and there still made its way down his chin. Not that he looked at all frazzled- the sadness in his eyes was clear, but his face still looked pristine and perfect, even in the horrid lighting.

"How do you feel?" "Like I was just sat on, jumped on, attacked, thrown off a building, put through severe autopsy, and still lived," Kagome answered truthfully. Sesshoumaru laughed in spite of himself. But the mile quickly slid off his face as he stood. He cupped his hands around Kagome's face, looking at her; as if to memorize every line, every curve, every inch of her face and burn it onto his memory.

"What is it?" Kagome asked quietly. She knew something was up- she could see it on his drawn face.

"I think this would be best for you." He said, drawing in a deep breath. Kagome noticed he didn't say 'better for us'. Seemingly gathering his strength, Sesshoumaru blurted out, "I think it would be best if I leave. I don't want you to ever be in danger like that again. I couldn't live with myself if you-" he stopped there, the pain in his eyes evident.

"I couldn't live."

"Don't be ridiculous. It was a freak accident. There are psychopaths everywhere, you know. I'll just have to be more careful." "No, that's not it. That was Naraku. He's an enemy of mine. You should know- I have many enemies. And THIS one killed my other girlfriend, Kagura." Kagome gasped, and tears began to well in her eyes. "Exactly like he almost killed you. I thought I could protect her, but in that one moment that I wasn't there, she died. And I won't let that happen to you." "But-" "No. Let me finish."

"I am leaving. I will try to erase all memory of me from your life- every picture, every piece of memorabilia- but don't worry. I think it will be best for you, a clean cut, you know? That way, eventually, you will heal, and forget I ever existed. It will be like you never knew me."

And then he was gone, with nothing left of him but the faint scent of thunderstorms and a whispered, "I love you."


	8. Hate Me

Kagome laughed at Sango's joke, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder to feel the spring breeze.

Suddenly, Kagome's ringtone flooded out of her jeans pocket and into the car. Yanking out her cell, she picked up. "Hello, Kagome Higurashi here. Speak now or forever get hung up on." (yes, that's from a different fic!! I no own.)

"YOU TOOK A PRANK PICTURE ON MY CELL?!?! OF ME IN THE SHOWER, SINGING?!?!" Her friend laughed on the other end. "Yeah, I'll look at it," Kagome said, laughing, "But I'm gonna kill you, so start running." With that said, she flipped her phone shut and parked in her asphalt driveway.

Wiping the spring heat off of her brow, she strode into the living room and plopped down on the overstuffed couch. Flipping through her snapshots, she giggled lightly.

**Picture 1: March 1. Buyo**. Her cat's wickedly magnified face grinned up at her. He had pressed himself into the phone, his tongue licking the screen.

**Picture 2: April 5. Sango and Miroku… caught!** Sango and Miroku, standing together in the closet. Sango's face was flushed and embarrassed, while Miroku's look was one of the cat who got the cream.

**Picture 3: April 25. LA LA LAAAAA!**! Obviously, Kagome's friend had saved this picture. Kagome's dull profile, hazy in the steam of the bathroom, was leaning back, her arms reaching back to rinse her hair and her mouth open in silent song.

Kagome saved it as a reminder, putting it in her Locked Pictures folder. Often her friends asked her what was in this folder (obviously hoping it was dirty), but Kagome would not relent. This was the one thing she never showed her friends.

Flipping through the folder and dropping in the picture, Kagome's brow suddenly furrowed. What was this? An '**Untitled Picture**'. Pressing it, Kagome gasped. A gorgeous, pale face stared back at her. Long, silver hair was floating, like a cloud, around the forehead and shoulders of the man in the shot. The face was of European origins, the strong, angled chin and tall forehead tightened with pain. His eyes, like molten gold, stared at the camera with a look of sharp, acute intelligence, but deep pain underlying his calm façade. The look almost said, _"And you thought you could catch me unawares."_

Tears flooded Kagome's eyes. Three years ago, this man had walked, no, vanished out of her life, leaving nothing behind. Like a dam that just burst, her mind flooded with clips of the time shortly after his disappearance. Frantically searching through her cell phone and photo albums, looking for a picture with him in it, a journal entry with his name on it, anything. But there was nothing. Everywhere she remembered putting a memoir, it was gone. Her room was stripped of all of their pictures, her shelf barren from the moments of framed joy it once held. "How could you do this to me?" She whispered.

He had even taken their anniversary picture. The one where they were standing, pressed against one another, with their brightly lit cake giving them a halo from behind. Sango and Miroku where standing off to the side, their faces wide with happiness.

Everything was gone.

Kagome remembered collapsing on her bed, crying her eyes out, night after night. A year after he disappeared, Kagome forced herself to try and let him go. By the second year, he had never existed.

Far, far away, golden eyes looked at the sky and said, "Forget me. And if you can't forget me, pretend. Hate me for being not good enough, for not being there to help. Hate me for all the things I didn't- couldn't- do for you."

**I have to block out thoughts of you, so I don't lose my head**

**They crawl in like a cockroach leaving babies in my bed**

**Dropping little reels of tape to remind me that I'm alone**

**Playing movies in my head that make a porno feel like home**

**There's a burning in my pride, a nervous bleeding in my brain**

**An ounce of peace is all I want for you, Will you never call again?**

**And will you never say that you love me just to put it in my face**

**And will you never try to reach me, it is I that wanted space**

**Hate me today**

**Hate me tomorrow**

**Hate me so you can finally see what's good for you.**

**I'm sober now for 3 whole months **

**It's one accomplishment that you helped me with.**

**The one thing that always tore us apart is the one thing I won't touch again.**

**In my sick way I want to thank you for holding my head up late at night**

**While I was busy waging wars on myself, you were trying to stop the fight**

**You never doubted my warped opinions on things like suicidal hate.**

**You made me compliment myself when it was way too hard to take**

**So I'll drive so far away that I'll never cross your mind**

**And do whatever it takes in your heart to leave me behind**

**Hate me today**

**Hate me tomorrow**

**Hate me for all the things I didn't do for you.**

**Hate me in ways, yeah ways hard to swallow.**

**Hate me so you can finally see what's good for you.**

**And with a sad heart I say bye to you and wave**

**Kicking shadows on the street for every mistake that I have made**

**And like a baby boy I never was a man**

**Until I saw your blue eyes cry and I held your face in my hand**

**And then I fell down yelling "Make it go away!"**

**Just make her smile come back and shine just like it used to be**

**And then she whispered "How can you do this to me?"**

**Hate me today**

**Hate me tomorrow**

**Hate me for all the things I didn't do for you.**

**Hate me in ways, yeah ways hard to swallow.**

**Hate me so you can finally see what's good for you.**

"At least, if you can hate me, then you won't have to suffer- like I do every day. I love you."

A/N: HAHAHA!! Cliffy!! Well, you'll just have to wait, won't you:grins evilly: I LOVE having total power over people. Just kidding!! I'll update soon- promise. Please review!! The more reviews, the faster I update!!


	9. Rediscovery

Rediscovery

A/N: Sorry I haven't written in soooo long. Testing and various other things have totally blocked up my time, and I've been sick many-a-day this season. But now I'm back!! So enjoy.

Kagome lifted her head, sore and heavy, from the wet pillow. Her eyes felt dried out from the many tears she had cried, and the dull pound of an oncoming migraine was making her room blur and spin around her.

But through the haze of sadness and self-pity, Kagome could see clearly. People say that at the most horrible, painful moments, everything becomes clear, and one sees like on has never seen before. Well, Kagome felt as if the world was dark, but yet, just a few shades brighter than before. She was going to end her personal hell…. going to stop lying and find out the truth about the man she had once loved.

It all felt like a dream- his profile was hazy in her mind, the many strolls in the park erased from her memory by the cruel time that had ripped them apart for so long. She would find him- she had to. For her sanity.

And for her heart.

Memories she had forbidden herself to think of came in bits and pieces, like dogs that had been hit by the newspaper and slinked back to their owners, tails between their legs. Pictures of his smiling, happy family, the congratulations, the feeling of togetherness- they all came back in a slow but steady trickle. Like a shot, the needles of remembrance sank in, inserting the cure to her pain.

But the needle was painful, too.

Trying to sort her fragmented mind into a coherent thought, Kagome sighed. _We met in the alley. He was shot. I took him home, then to the hospital. We start dating. We go to see his family… then nothing._

_Wait a minute. His family!!_

Kagome gasped excitedly. If she could track down the other Taishos, she'd somehow convince them to cough up his whereabouts. _Their house…. The bar. The dark alley. The door… _but everything was fuzzy at that point. " Ah hah!" Kagome said triumphantly, her voice cracking from the misuse of the past night. _They were demons. And SHE was a miko… she could sniff 'em out._

Kagome KNEW she looked crazy, marching around the Park Square with a blindfold over her eyes, hands stretched out in front of her like a zombie's. Trying to recreate the moment of their walk, Kagome closed her eyes and concentrated on the feeling… the feeling of his arm brushing hers, his face aglow with the sunset. The feeling she had in the pit of her stomach whenever he was near.

Suddenly, Kagome felt the pull of a familiar youki tugging at her senses. Heading in that direction, she took a swerving, drunken path around the Square. Suddenly, she bumped into the object covered by the youki. Ripping off the blindfold, she subdued the dry that wanted to fall from her lips. It was nothing but an old man, toddling along with his cane. He was obviously youkai- and Kagome knew him because he took care of all the neighborhood strays.

"I'm so sorry," she said, her voice ringing with sincerity and sadness. "Don't worry about it," the man said, continuing on his way.

But then, to her left, Kagome heard a creak. A heavy door… it sounded like it was swinging. Picking her way between dumpsters and alley cats, Kagome rapped on the door sharply. It swung inwards, hinges rusty and creaky with age. And then Kagome saw something that broke her heart.

Sesshoumaru was sitting, slumped, over a barstool, his face rugged and unshaved. He was pale, paler even than usual, and he looked like he hadn't eaten in months. Seeing as youkai could do that, Kagome really didn't put it past him.

His eyes were hazy, their beautiful gold shadowed by drugs and alcohol. A wine glass was perched in his shaky right hand, and in his left was a small wad of wax paper. Inside, Kagome could tell, was a dry, brown, leafy lump. Marijuana.

Running to him, Kagome felt hot tears course down her cheeks. She ripped the wine glass from his grasp, smashing it on the table. Glass shards flew in all directions, lighting the bar with the reflection of the light on a million tiny surfaces.

She pulled the marijuana away from him, disgust clear as crystal on her ravaged features. _How could you do this to yourself? How could you? _Dropping it in the trash bin, she held his wrist, searching for a pulse. Finding the faint beat of his heart, she leaned down and caressed his face lovingly.

"It's okay, I'm here," she cooed, her voice cracking with relief.

His eyes seemed to clear for a second, and he smiled. Really, genuinely smiled.


End file.
